Day 30 – the philosophy of alcohol

Yesterday I took a poetical look at alcohol. Today I am going philosophical. My starting point was going to be “I drink therefore I am”. This turns out to be a book on wine by the philosopher Roger Scruton – I drink therefore I am: A Philosopher’s Guide to Wine. The original phrase is attributed to W. C. Fields. In Latin it is Bibo Ergo Sum. Pipped at the post again! Never mind…

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Day 16 – adding a little something

The grey blanket that has been our sky for the past few days has been torn asunder today to reveal lovely shades of blue streaked with some white clouds. It has brought colour into the world, giving vibrancy to the landscape and causing the snow to glisten and showcase its whiteness before melting away. How important colour is to our understanding and appreciation of the world. It adds so much….

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Day 14 – a little bit of viticulture

We are a month away from St. Valentine’s day – red wine, red roses, red hearts and maybe red faces. A time of love and romance, if your intimate life has not been cursed by failing to look someone in the eye while toasting (see yesterday’s post if you are worried!). However, here in Bulgaria the day has another meaning – it is the day they celebrate St.Trifon Zarezan, also known as Trifon the Pruner.

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Day 1- and some info on units

My celebrations last night were quite modest. A couple of glasses of Bulgarian Syrah (2019) from the Thracian Valley region with an ABV of 14%, followed by a little Sauvignon Blanc (2023) with an ABV of 12.5%. At some point there were a couple of fireworks that did not quite deliver – they briefly fizzed and popped and then fizzled out. No competition for the beautiful clear night sky and its array of stars that formed the backdrop to this display. Appropriately, I wedged the fireworks into a couple of empty beer cans. Poetic, almost.

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